bilge runs with battery off

[seadoobie]

So is the bilge supposed to run with the battery in off position or no? I was cleaning engine compartment the other day & battery was off but the pump came on anyways.
(btw: castrol super clean works great!! thx for the info. compartment looks new!!)

 

[LouDoo]

Yes, I've been boating for more years that I want to admit, and that's the way a bilge pump is supposed to work. When you say the battery in the off position, I'm assuming you mean the ignition off.

The idea of a bilge pump is to protect the boat at all times, not only when the engine is running. I have always hooked up the bilge pump to the positive on the battery (with a fuse), or the positive battery buss. If you leave your boat in the water for extended periods of time you will want to use a battery maintainer (trickle charge), plugged into shore power, or a solar battery maintainer.

Lou

 

[seadoobie]

ok cool just wanted to make sure it wasnt hot wired or anything & run the battery dead.
thx for the tip!

 

[RFoster130]

yeah you want the pump wired to the side of the battery switch that is always hot. That way if you leave the boat in water you dont come out in the morning and find it half sunk. Mine was wired to the switched side of that battery switch and i almost found out the hard way.